Increasing jurisdictional amounts in small claims actions, the official text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-5664/1
SWB:wlj

2025 SENATE BILL 787
December 22, 2025 - Introduced by Senator Wanggaard, cosponsored by Representatives O'Connor, B. Jacobson, Allen, Dittrich, Duchow, Gundrum, Knodl, Murphy and Penterman. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

An Act to amend 421.202 (6), 799.01 (1) (c), 799.01 (1) (cr) and 799.01 (1) (d) (intro.); to create 799.01 (3) of the statutes; relating to: increasing jurisdictional amounts in small claims actions.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, with certain exceptions, civil actions in which the amount claimed is $10,000 or less and actions for replevin in which the value of the property does not exceed $10,000 must generally be tried in small claims court. This bill increases the $10,000 limit for those cases to $15,000 on January 1, 2027, to $20,000 on January 1, 2028, and to $25,000 on January 1, 2029.
The bill also increases the jurisdictional limit for third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and actions based in tort from $5,000 to $15,000 on January 1, 2027, to $20,000 on January 1, 2028, and to $25,000 on January 1, 2029.
Current law provides that certain consumer transactions and leases are not covered by the Wisconsin Consumer Act and, if the amount financed is $25,000 or less, these actions must be brought in small claims court. The bill increases that amount to $32,500 on January 1, 2027, to $40,000 on January 1, 2028, and to $50,000 on January 1, 2029.
The bill also requires that, beginning five years after the effective date of the last statutory increases made by the bill, these small claims jurisdictional amounts be adjusted every five years to reflect any changes in the U.S. consumer price index.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. 421.202 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
421.202 (6) Consumer credit transactions in which the amount financed exceeds $25,000 $32,500, motor vehicle consumer leases in which the total lease obligation exceeds $25,000 $32,500, or other consumer transactions in which the cash price exceeds $25,000 $32,500.
Section 2. 421.202 (6) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 1, is amended to read:
421.202 (6) Consumer credit transactions in which the amount financed exceeds $32,500 $40,000, motor vehicle consumer leases in which the total lease obligation exceeds $32,500 $40,000, or other consumer transactions in which the cash price exceeds $32,500 $40,000.
Section 3. 421.202 (6) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 2, is amended to read:
421.202 (6) Consumer credit transactions in which the amount financed exceeds $40,000 $50,000, motor vehicle consumer leases in which the total lease obligation exceeds $40,000 $50,000, or other consumer transactions in which the cash price exceeds $40,000 $50,000. Beginning 5 years after the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date], and every 5 years thereafter, the dollar amounts specified in this subsection shall be adjusted to reflect any changes in the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, as
determined by the U.S. department of labor, for the preceding 5-year period, rounded up to the nearest thousand dollars.
Section 4. 799.01 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
799.01 (1) (c) Replevins. Actions for replevin under ss. 810.01 to 810.13 where the value of the property claimed does not exceed $10,000 $15,000.
Section 5. 799.01 (1) (c) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 4, is amended to read:
799.01 (1) (c) Replevins. Actions for replevin under ss. 810.01 to 810.13 where the value of the property claimed does not exceed $15,000 $20,000.
Section 6. 799.01 (1) (c) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 5, is amended to read:
799.01 (1) (c) Replevins. Actions for replevin under ss. 810.01 to 810.13 where the value of the property claimed does not exceed $20,000 $25,000.
Section 7. 799.01 (1) (cr) of the statutes is amended to read:
799.01 (1) (cr) Third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and tort claims. Third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and actions based in tort, where the amount claimed is $5,000 $15,000 or less.
Section 8. 799.01 (1) (cr) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 7, is amended to read:
799.01 (1) (cr) Third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and tort claims. Third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and actions based in tort, where the amount claimed is $15,000 $20,000 or less.

Section 9. 799.01 (1) (cr) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 8, is amended to read:
799.01 (1) (cr) Third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and tort claims. Third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and actions based in tort, where the amount claimed is $20,000 $25,000 or less.
Section 10. 799.01 (1) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
799.01 (1) (d) Other civil actions. (intro.) Other civil actions where the amount claimed is $10,000 $15,000 or less, if the actions or proceedings are:
Section 11. 799.01 (1) (d) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 10, is amended to read:
799.01 (1) (d) Other civil actions. (intro.) Other civil actions where the amount claimed is $15,000 $20,000 or less, if the actions or proceedings are:
Section 12. 799.01 (1) (d) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 11, is amended to read:
799.01 (1) (d) Other civil actions. (intro.) Other civil actions where the amount claimed is $20,000 $25,000 or less, if the actions or proceedings are:
Section 13. 799.01 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
799.01 (3) Adjustments. Beginning 5 years after the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date], and every 5 years thereafter, the dollar amounts specified in sub. (1) (c), (cr), and (d) shall be adjusted to reflect any changes in the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, as determined by the U.S. department of labor, for the preceding 5-year period, rounded up to the nearest thousand dollars.
Section 14. Initial applicability.

(1) The treatment of ss. 421.202 (6) (by Section 1) and 799.01 (1) (c) (by Section 4), (cr) (by Section 7), and (d) (intro.) (by Section 10) first applies to actions commenced or claims made on the effective date of this subsection.
(2) The treatment of ss. 421.202 (6) (by Section 2) and 799.01 (1) (c) (by Section 5), (cr) (by Section 8), and (d) (intro.) (by Section 11) first applies to actions commenced or claims made on the effective date of this subsection.
(3) The treatment of ss. 421.202 (6) (by Section 3) and 799.01 (1) (c) (by Section 6), (cr) (by Section 9), and (d) (intro.) (by Section 12) first applies to actions commenced or claims made on the effective date of this subsection.
Section 15. Effective dates. This act takes effect on January 1, 2027, except as follows:
(1) The treatment of ss. 421.202 (6) (by Section 2) and 799.01 (1) (c) (by Section 5), (cr) (by Section 8), and (d) (intro.) (by Section 11) and Section 14 (2) of this act take effect on January 1, 2028.
(2) The treatment of ss. 421.202 (6) (by Section 3) and 799.01 (1) (c) (by Section 6), (cr) (by Section 9) and (d) (intro.) (by Section 12) and (3) and Section 14 (3) of this act take effect on January 1, 2029.
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